A 38-year-old woman voluntarily settled in a home for the elderly: why did she do it

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At first, Jan thought a nursing home was boring and boring. However, after living there for three months, she discovered a completely different side of the elderly.

This decision was preceded by hospitalization of the woman due to exhaustion. She worked for 11 years in Beijing, far from her hometown and family. Long working days and sleepless nights took a toll on her health.

After treatment, Jan, whose parents had already died, turned down her siblings' invitation to live with them in her homeland.

“In my condition, I would not like to live with them, because I would have to get up early every day. Due to my weak mental state, I also easily woke up from any noise,” the heroine explained.

After spending a month in the hospital, she reconsidered her life. Wanting a quiet and peaceful place where she could slow down and recover, Jan decided to live in a retirement home to enjoy a more measured pace. She found this experience not only restorative, but also inspiring. What's more, the Chinese woman started documenting the lives of the elderly, over a hundred of whom live there.

“I want to show everyone what the senior community is really like,” said Jan, commenting on the creation of a documentary about her experience. 2,000 yuan ($370.6) provided her with room and board for a month in a home for the elderly, which consisted of five apartment buildings. It is located next to a garden with fruit trees, lush greenery, and a farm with animals such as peacocks and deer roaming the grounds.

For Yang, the experience was like living in a condominium with many amenities. As a result, she stayed there for three months.

According to her, the home for the elderly is divided into three zones depending on the level of care required. Prices for each room depend on the size and range from 1,300 to 2,200 yuan (about $240-$407).

However, she admitted that she had some doubts at first.

“My impression from a nursing home is that your movements will be limited, that life there will be boring and you will just lie on the bed,” she said. However, later the woman discovered that her experience was not boring at all. She managed to see the cheerful and energetic side of the elderly residents of the house, who happily participated in various activities.

Many also looked forward to her taking one of them aside to chat and share stories of their youth. Their energy gave her a sense of encouragement.

The practice of housing young people in homes for the elderly is not new in China. One such facility in Hangzhou even recruited young people to live there.

Launched back in 2019, the project promised to provide young people with free housing if they worked 10 hours a month accompanying elderly people in the facility. Since then, the initiative has spread to other provinces of China.

Whole campaigns — to provide a roof over their heads to the younger generation, who are facing difficulties in providing housing, and at the same time “relieve the burden of social isolation for the elderly”.